WSST Conference 2025: Full Schedule

8:00am CDT

Phenomena-Based Learning in 30 Minutes or Less

Thursday April 3, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

In this session designed for K-5 educators, we will explore the power of phenomenon-based learning through hands-on activities that align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Using the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), we’ll demonstrate how authentic science content can be seamlessly incorporated into 30-minute lessons, making science accessible and engaging for students. Participants will actively engage in a real-world, hands-on lesson, gaining practical experience with inquiry-based learning that sparks curiosity and promotes deeper conceptual understanding.

Our session will showcase how these lessons are designed to align with any curriculum goals, providing strategies for integrating authentic science phenomena into your classroom. By the end of the session, participants will walk away with easy-to-implement, NGSS-aligned strategies that can transform their teaching approach and ignite student interest in the world around them. Learning objectives include understanding how to implement the 5E model, exploring ways to integrate phenomena into daily lessons, and gaining tools for delivering engaging, real-world science experiences in under 30 minutes. This session will feature presenter-audience interaction to foster discussion and encourage collaboration, ensuring participants leave with actionable insights.

Speakers

Madison Evans

Thursday April 3, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Herietta

Elementary General

9:00am CDT

Standards Based Grading with NGSS

Thursday April 3, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Herietta

How do you assess young elementary students in science? How do you measure progress in the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices? I have developed rubrics that allow me to chart the growth of my grades 1-4 students, using the SEP as my standards. I will share students' work samples from a variety of units and show how I use the rubrics to record and share their progress. My rubrics can be used with students to set goals, clarify expectations, and teach explicitly. They can also be used to share progress with parents, and they can support a standards based report card system. This session will allow participants to review the rubrics and discuss the pros and cons of using them in their own teaching practices.

Speakers

Shelley Petzold

Thursday April 3, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Herietta

Elementary Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

10:00am CDT

Forest History Didn’t Start in 1850: A Fresh Look at How Forests Built Our State

Thursday April 3, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Herietta

In this session we will overview the recent revisions made to the LEAF K-12 Forestry Education Program’s 4th grade guide. We will explore why and how the revisions were made in an effort to produce a broader, more inclusive approach to teaching about Wisconsin’s forest history. Participants will then try some of the new hands-on activities together, then look at how an activity that has students trace the human use history of a forest plot through simple observations and measurements fits into a three-dimensional approach to teaching and learning. Finally, we will take a little time to reflect on how Wisconsin forest history and information about the Indigenous people of our state fit into their elementary science curriculum.

Speakers

Nicole Filizetti

LEAF K-12 Forestry Education Program Outreach Educator, Wisconsin Center For Environmental Education

Nicole has a B.S. in Biology/Ecology, a secondary science teaching certificate, and an M.S. in Science Education from Northern Michigan University. She has been with the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education since 2013, assisting with professional development for the LEAF... Read More →

Thursday April 3, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Herietta

Elementary Diversity/Equity

11:00am CDT

Explore Free Elementary Resources from the Food + Farm Exploration Center

Thursday April 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Herietta

Participants in this session will take a hands-on approach to learning about the many free elementary resources that are offered by the Food + Farm Exploration Center that teaches science with an agricultural focus. Participants will take part in small group discussions and hands-on activities as they learn more about the connection of agriculture to curriculum.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the connection that agriculture has to science curriculum.
2. Explore the many ways that agriculture examples can be used to highlight content.
3. Conduct investigations and do activities that highlight the connections between agriculture and science.

Standards:
2-LS2-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.

3-LS-1 Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.

4-LS-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

5-LS-1 Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.

5-ESS2-2 Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.

Speakers

Jenn Scott

Education Outrerach Manager, Food + Farm Exploration Center

I have a passion to spread the word about the importance of agriculture to everyone! As an education outreach manager, my goal is to educate students and teachers about the role agriculture plays in their daily lives and to inspire a passion for the field and a desire to pursue a... Read More →

Thursday April 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Herietta

Elementary

1:00pm CDT

Bridging Literacy and Science

Thursday April 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Herietta

Let's face it: Literacy is a top priority in most K-5 classrooms. What if science instruction could not only support your literacy initiatives, but truly help your students become better readers and writers? Whether you're a seasoned educator or just starting your teaching journey, join us for this workshop as we discover how teaching science can foster academic achievement across disciplines.

Speakers

Mike Larson

Thursday April 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Herietta

Elementary

1:00pm CDT

Workshop: Empowering Students to Lead: A Green Team Toolkit for Energy Savings

Thursday April 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

John Lynch

Green teams empower schools to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, resulting in cost savings, reduced environmental impact, and enriched educational opportunities. By engaging students and staff, these teams cultivate responsibility and foster a culture of sustainability within the school community.

FOCUS ON ENERGY® developed the Green Team Toolkit to support these efforts. This comprehensive resource empowers K-12 students as sustainability leaders, offering step-by-step guidance for forming and managing green teams, practical energy-saving strategies, and tips for competitions like Renew Our Schools. The toolkit highlights low-cost, no-cost measures with quick paybacks, enabling schools to optimize building performance while providing meaningful learning experiences for students.

Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) complements these efforts with Green Team Mini-Grants designed to fund energy education and efficiency projects, offering schools tangible support to turn ideas into action.

In this session, Focus on Energy, KEEP, and the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District will showcase the benefits of green teams, the impact of the toolkit, and how these mini-grants can amplify these initiatives. Attendees will be equipped with actionable strategies, real-world examples, and the inspiration to transform students into sustainability champions, benefiting facilities, education, and the broader community.

Speakers

Nick Gagnon

Teacher, Chippewa Falls High School

I've been teaching Physics, Chemistry and Remote Pilot classes at Chippewa Falls High School for 20+ years. Over the past 5 years I've been advising our Green Team. These students have accomplished more than I ever could have imagined!

Heather Feigum

Heather oversees Focus on Energy's Agriculture and Schools/Government programs. With a background in energy and project management, she previously served as an Energy Advisor for schools and government facilities. Heather's educational experience includes being a Renewable Energy... Read More →

Laura Lane

Heather Phelps

Student Resource Specialist, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education

Sponsors

Focus on Energy

Thursday April 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
John Lynch

Elementary High Ed General Energy Savings and Sustainability

2:00pm CDT

Workshop: Ignite Curiosity and Cultivate Tomorrow's Scientists

Thursday April 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

BF Carter

Ignite the natural curiosity of young minds as they explore the wonders of the living world, the principles that govern it, and the secrets of our planet. Join us for an exciting session where we dive into literacy-infused science lessons designed to build essential foundational skills for our future scientists.
Experience a variety of captivating activities, including interactive games, catchy songs, virtual notebooks, and hands-on experiments. These tools are crafted to make science seriously fun for Kinder through Grade 2 students.
Let’s transform your classroom into a vibrant hub of exploration and discovery!

Speakers

Cassie Harrelson

Sponsors

ExploreLearning

Thursday April 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
BF Carter

Elementary

2:00pm CDT

Books to Builds: STEM Activities to Compliment Your Favorite Read-Alouds

Thursday April 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Herietta

Discover innovative STEM activities tailored to complement popular read-alouds. Participants will experience firsthand three engineering challenges inspired by beloved books. This hands-on workshop empowers educators to confidently integrate STEM into their existing curriculum, enriching students' learning experiences. Leave equipped to inspire young minds with the magic of reading and the excitement of engineering.
Learning Objectives
·       Discover how to transform activities from arts and crafts to rich, STEAM experiences that meet the NGSS engineering standards
·       Explore 3 popular read-alouds and 3 follow-on STEM activities
·       Conduct the STEM activities during the session so you leave confident and ready to implement in the classroom

Speakers

Terra Tarango

Thursday April 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Herietta

Elementary Engineering

3:00pm CDT

Workshop: Bring Wisconsin Wildlife Into Your Classroom

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

BF Carter

Snapshot Wisconsin is a statewide community science project that utilizes a network of trail cameras to produce wildlife management data. This workshop will discuss ways to bring Wisconsin wildlife to a wide range of grade levels, from grades K-5 to higher education. Snapshot staff will walk you through the various lesson plans and activities available to educators.

Please bring a computer/tablet, if possible. We will also have some print outs, for those unable to bring a computer/tablet.

All Snapshot Wisconsin lesson plans and activities are free. Lesson plans are available for grades K-12 and outline curriculum connections in each educator handout, including NGSS (April 2013), Common Core (2010), AP Biology (2012-2013), IB Biology (2016), Environmental Science (2013), Environmental Systems & Societies, and Wisconsin’s Standards for Science.

Learning Objectives:
- Learn about Snapshot Wisconsin and how to get involved as a community scientist
- Learn about how Snapshot Wisconsin data is used to support management decisions at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Learn about how to access Snapshot Wisconsin’s free lesson plans and activities and incorporate them into your classroom or educational programming
- Learn about how to access and explore the Snapshot Wisconsin Data Dashboard as well as how it can be used to teach about science and math concepts, data literacy, and science communication.

Speakers

Mackenzie McBride

Liv Gripko

Sponsors

Snapshot Wisconsin-Wisconsin DNR

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
BF Carter

Elementary High Ed Biology/Life Science Environmental

8:00am CDT

3D Science Education for a Sustainable World

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Thistle

Harnessing students’ innate curiosity about the natural world and desire to protect it can be done with hands-on classroom activities that build STEM skills, increase environmental literacy and show sustainable paths forward. In this session, the presenter will facilitate a series of interdisciplinary lessons that involve collecting and analyzing data, creating 3D models and working collaboratively on solving authentic problems. Raise environmental literacy while creating a 3-D model of land use, engaging in a simulation of carrying capacity in a habitat, and using engineering skills in experimenting ways to clean up a local river. The presented lessons are designed to deepen students’ understanding of “Earth and Human Activities” (ESS3) and Ecosystems (LS2) with several Cross-cutting Concepts (Patterns; Cause-and-Effect; Scale, Proportion and Quantity; Systems and System Models; Stability and Change). Participants will receive lesson plans, data sets and links to digital tools.

Speakers

Stephanie Ruder

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Thistle

Elementary Environmental

8:00am CDT

Workshop: Making the Most of Mystery Science

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT

John Lynch

In this session, participants will interact with Dave Bergerson, Science Coordinator for the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools on their implementation of Mystery Science. Dave will share strategies that were implemented in his district to provide support for elementary teachers teaching science. Topics will include but not be limited to: Evaluation and Adoption procedures for Mystery Science, professional development options for training teachers in Mystery Science, suggestions for cost effective materials procurement, minimizing teacher prep and management of refilling materials, along with templates for supplementing Mystery Science.

Speakers

Dave Bergerson

Science Coordinator, Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools

I am the Wisconsin Rapids K-12 Science Curriculum Coordinator for 50% of my job and the other 50% is teaching Physics. I am also an adjunct faculty in Physics with Mid-state Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids.

Sponsors

Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT
John Lynch

Elementary

10:00am CDT

The Power of Integrating Literacy and Science

Friday April 4, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Herietta

Literacy is often the focus of instruction in elementary classrooms, but it doesn’t have to be at the exclusion of science! Join educator and presenter, Cassondra Kauppi, to explore the mutually supportive aspects of phenomena-based science instruction and literacy skill development. This session will provide you with innovative ideas, tools, research insights, and strategies for teaching students to read, write, and think like scientists. Ultimately, these skills will empower students to enhance their literacy capabilities across all areas of life.

Speakers

Cassandra Kauppi

STEM Product Specialist

With nearly 20 years in education, Cassondra brings a depth of knowledge spanning literacy, mathematics, and science content. She has worked as a classroom teacher, intervention specialist, curriculum specialist and now STEM Product Specialist. Whether she is teaching in the classroom... Read More →

Chrissy Fischer

Wisconsin Account Executive, Amplify

Sponsors

Amplify

Friday April 4, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Herietta

Elementary General

11:00am CDT

Literacy and Science - ACT 20 and beyond; Why do we need dedicated time for science?

Friday April 4, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Thistle

Quality literacy and science instruction make a powerful pair. Students have much to gain from classroom instruction that intentionally integrates science and literacy in a way that builds towards rigorous outcomes in both content areas. In this session we will share resources and ideas from a new science leadership tool, hosted by DPI, for implementing quality literacy and science instruction together. Discuss the roles of multiple stakeholders, learn from evidence-based accounts of best practices, and consider the common barriers and pitfalls of integrated instruction.

Speakers

Kevin Anderson

Science Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Dr. Anderson currently works as the Science Education Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). He enjoys helping educators improve science programs and instruction to support all students in making sense of the world and solving problems. Previously, he... Read More →

Ryan King

K-5 Science Teacher Leader, Madison Metropolitan School District

Elementary Science!

Erica Yoss

K-12 Science and Environmental Ed Coordinator, School District of Waukesha

Meridith Falkavage

STEAM Instructional Coordinator, School District of Beloit

Sarah Blechacz

K-12 Science Curriculum Coordinator, Wauwatosa School District

Friday April 4, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Thistle

Elementary General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

2:00pm CDT

Swallows, Swifts, & 2nd Graders

Friday April 4, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Herietta

Approximately 30-35% of Americans self-identify as birders. Birds are amazing...and they are EVERYWHERE!!! While many elementary students can identify dozens of species of fictitious or long-extinct organisms, most cannot correctly identify even a handful of local birds. Birding is recognized as a gateway activity for caring about nature; because birds are so diverse, they are present in every possible habitat. Using a WSST Milton Pella grant, we were able to purchase a classroom set of binoculars, field guides, and a heavy-duty carrying case. Students learned about binoculars beginning with classroom and paper activities. We then practiced using our equipment safely and properly in the classroom and in the gym. Once students were comfortable with the equipment, we learned about basic bird anatomy and bird identification. We spent a couple classroom periods out in the school grounds finding and identifying our resident birds. These activities can easily extend over several weeks and were very enthusiastically received by our students. This presentation will provide an outline of our activities as well as paper copies of all lessons. This is a great way to get students outdoors and active in nature while (hopefully) encouraging interest in our local birds.

Speakers

Greg Bisbee

Ann Mass

Friday April 4, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Herietta

Elementary Environmental

2:00pm CDT

Elementary Leadership Problems of Practice

Friday April 4, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Thistle

Thoughtful systems are essential for elementary science programs. Science leaders from across the state worked to develop a series of Science Leadership Tools to help districts consider ways to implement quality science instruction. Join us to learn about and discuss these five new tools; Developing a Vision, Elementary Materials Selection, Assessment and Reporting, Scheduling, and Connecting Science and Literacy.

Speakers

Dave Bergerson

Science Coordinator, Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools

Kevin Anderson

Science Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Ryan King

K-5 Science Teacher Leader, Madison Metropolitan School District

Elementary Science!

Friday April 4, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Thistle

Elementary General District and school systems that support Elementary Science.

3:00pm CDT

Workshop: Bright Lights, Bright Minds! Exploring Energy Phenomena in Elementary Classrooms

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

BF Carter

This session will introduce participants to engaging activities from KEEP—Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program—that are included in the Elementary Energy Explorations kit and lesson series. These activities delve into the science and processes behind the phenomenon of flipping a light switch and the complex energy systems that make it possible. The presentation will address essential questions, including: How does electrical energy reach our homes? How do circuits function? How are energy fuel resources obtained? What are the environmental impacts of energy resource extraction? What alternatives are available?

Participants will actively engage in the following KEEP lessons: Evidence of Energy, Digging for Coal, and Renewable Energy Resources. Each lesson is designed to align with NGSS standards and utilizes the 5E model of experiential learning, fostering a hands-on, inquiry-driven approach to understanding energy concepts. Participants will also be introduced to the Elementary Energy Explorations kit, available for checkout from KEEP to any Wisconsin educator.

Speakers

Laureanna Raymond-Duvernell

Sponsors

KEEP - Wisconsin's K-12 Energy Education Program

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
BF Carter

Elementary

3:00pm CDT

Workshop: Growing Connections: Agriculture Pen Pal & Exchange Box Program

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

Evelyn

Curriculum Integration: Educators will learn strategies to effectively incorporate the Agriculture Pen Pal and Exchange Box activities into their existing curriculum, enhancing subjects like science, social studies, and language arts through hands-on, interdisciplinary learning.
Facilitation Techniques: Teachers will develop skills to facilitate meaningful discussions and reflections among students regarding their agricultural exchanges, promoting critical thinking, empathy, and cultural awareness in the classroom.

Speakers

Travis Sprague

Sponsors

Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Evelyn

Elementary High Ed

3:00pm CDT

How to BE an Aerospace Education Member and get Free Stem kits, Lessons, and Flight

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

Lake Poygan

We will explain how educators can sign up and become a Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Member. We will explain all the benefits of being a member. We will also explain all the free things you are entitled to as a member. After the first year you renew as a member for free annually. There are stem kits, Lessons for your classroom, free teacher orientation flights.

Lessons have NSSG objectives and areas listed. Our goal is to get teachers teaching aerospace education lessons to give students a taste for learning more about aviation. We have frees stem kits and lessons for their classrooms. We try to show them how they can maximize their efforts in getting stem kits. We also demonstrate the ease in which you can get free materials and a flight in a Civil Air Patrol plane.

We explain how you pay only once, and can then sign up annually free of charge every year after the first year. We also like to give Teachers Airplane rides. When you get a chance to fly it becomes an experience you want to share with your students.

Speakers

Michael A. Bero

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Lake Poygan

Elementary High Ed Earth Science Physics Aerospace Education

3:00pm CDT

Building Student Capacity to Discuss Science

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

Herietta

The main focus of the presentation is encouraging students to lead discourse in the elementary classroom, using the skills and ideas from the book Ambitious Science Teaching. The key elements we will focus on are planning for engagement, student discourse, and eliciting ideas from the Ambitious Science Teaching framework. Teachers learn how to lead conversations, the next step to aspire to is to teach students to lead the discussion. By doing so, a teacher can encourage the student’s intellectual engagement while also attending to equity issues teachers face. We plan to share and discuss successful examples in the elementary classroom. Younger students require more scaffolding, reinforcement, and encouragement to be successful in the classroom. We will share how to plan for student conversation using an anchor chart, talk scaffolds, and talking circles. In this presentation, we will also allow time for educators to practice the shared strategies with each other.

Speakers

Leah Aubert

Teacher, Emerson Elementary

Lisa Pitot

Assistant Professor, UWL

Shelley Petzold

Melissa Wimmler

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Herietta

Elementary Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

8:00am CDT

Student Discourse in Elementary Science

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Dixie

Participants will consider and discuss why student-to-student discourse is essential for making sense of science. Science is the perfect setting for building students' capacity for deep discussions, and the strategies for making those discussions happen are transferable to other subject areas. Consider ways to help students grapple with evidence from multiple sources, make their thinking clear for others, and productively build upon or challenge the ideas of others.

Speakers

Ryan King

K-5 Science Teacher Leader, Madison Metropolitan School District

Elementary Science!

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Dixie

Elementary

8:00am CDT

AI in Education: What should we be talking about?

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Evelyn

AI is already having a significant impact on education and is only just starting to transform our work and lives. This session seeks to provide a discussion space for educators to consider some of the following thought prompts:
-How do I design work that will help my students learn in the age of AI?
-How do I leverage AI for my work?
-How do I use AI ethically and how do I teach students to use AI ethically?
-Who has access to AI and what biases are inherently embedded in it?
-What policies exist in my space about AI?
-What policies and practices do I want to establish using AI?
-How can I evaluate the use of AI in my work and in my students’ work?

Attendees will be able to leave with:
-A better understanding of the ways that AI is shaping and will shape their work.
-Reflections on their views and values about AI in the classroom
-Next steps for their practice in the ethical use of AI

Speakers

Kelly Steiner

Middle school Science teacher, Shorewood Intermediate School

Passionate about social justice, quality learning, and growing as an educator.

Brian Bartel

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Evelyn

Elementary High Ed General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Diversity/Equity

9:00am CDT

Creating welcoming and inclusive spaces (with or without community support)

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Evelyn

Every student deserves a welcoming and comfortable learning environment. At this polarized time, different communities are in different places in their level of encouraging welcoming spaces. In our session we’ll brainstorm the types of things that are within the control of a classroom practitioner to create welcoming spaces for all different types of identities. We’ll also share brainstorming of ways of overcoming community challenges. We will honor the wisdom and experience of the diverse perspectives of the room, by modeling strategies for helping people solve each other’s problems. Finally, we’ll look at places where in a Science classroom in particular, old types of thinking/ exclusion may cause problems for learners.

Attendees will be able to leave with:
-A reflection on the identities present in their context
-A list of possible strategies to try to make their space more welcoming to those identities
-Troubleshooting solutions to other people’s challenges in creating welcoming spaces

Speakers

Kelly Steiner

Middle school Science teacher, Shorewood Intermediate School

Passionate about social justice, quality learning, and growing as an educator.

Claire Bernatz

Sami Palmisano

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Evelyn

Elementary High Ed General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Diversity/Equity

11:00am CDT

Soaring with Monarchs: a first grade migration

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Lefevre

Insects are the Rodney Dangerfields of conservation—they don’t get no respect. As a result, invertebrate conservation (including that of insects) tends to be significantly underfunded and ignored. It doesn’t help that a majority of people think of most insects as just “bugs”—pests that would best be exterminated. One exception to this rule is Danaus plexippus—the monarch butterfly. Despite being invertebrates, monarchs rank up there with eagles and whales, manatees and wolves as emblems of conservation and the parts of nature that we love. Most people can identify monarch caterpillars, know that they feed on milkweeds, and certainly recognize the adults—not something they can say about any other lepidopteran.

The first grade class at University Lake School—a small, private school in Hartland, Wisconsin—has, for many years, learned about and acted out the monarch life cycle and migration. We will go through the activity, providing background information about these iconic invertebrates as well as giving out materials so participants can easily have their students become graceful monarchs!

Speakers

Greg Bisbee

Jean Winkel

Ann Mochi

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Lefevre

Elementary

11:00am CDT

Teaching with Impactful Phenomena

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Evelyn

Learn what makes great phenomena and come away with free lessons.

Not all phenomena are equal. How you kick off your unit sets the tone for the entire unit itself. Learn what makes a phenomenal phenomenon that keeps your students engaged. You’ll learn how to choose and implement the best science phenomena. You’ll also receive free access to Mosa Mack Science phenomena lessons.

This interactive, hands-on workshop has three parts:

1. Why Phenomenon: We dive into the purpose and methodology of teaching with phenomena.
2. Hands-on Physical Science: You’ll experience a shocking phenomenon: security camera footage of cars that appear to be levitating! What is really going on in the footage, how can we test it, and what can we learn about the laws of force and motion from it?
3. Closing: We’ll close the workshop with a brief summary, lesson takeaways, and a final Q&A.

Speakers

Whitney Noel

Regional Sales Manager, Mosa Mack Science

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Evelyn

Elementary Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies 4-8th grade teachers elementary and high school welcome!